


Bucky and the Quest for Eventual Happiness

by cutegoomba



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety, Bucky Barnes Has Cats, Chronic Illness, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Past Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Trauma, Work In Progress, best friends looking out for eachother, im trying to give these guys a happy ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2019-12-18 11:49:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18249248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutegoomba/pseuds/cutegoomba
Summary: Where Bucky is really bad at finding and keeping lovers, but after making the decision to devote all his love and affection to a pet, he realizes after meeting the new owner of a cat café, maybe this whole love thing won't be a waste and maybe just maybe he's found the key to eventual happiness in the form of a very outspoken blonde across the street.





	1. Significant Failures

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, I've had this idea in my head for a while but never brought it to fruition. I have a chapter layout but this will be my first try at a story that's not a one-shot and also with this pairing. I hope you'll put your faith in me and come along for the ride!
> 
> This story also has a previous abusive relationship but any chapter with mentions or details of the relationship will have warnings listed at the beginning notes beforehand!

Chapter 1: Significant Failures

This was exactly what Bucky had been scared of the past few weeks and at the moment his now ex-lover was asking for his keys back. Bucky knew how this went, it was going to be a peaceful split, he wouldn’t argue or make a fool of himself...no matter how much he wanted too. He would come back later in the week to collect all of his things, and return Remy’s, there would be peaceful yet awkward silence, promises of future meetings, then they would slowly drift apart until one day they’d acknowledge each other’s contact and delete it under a false pretense of moving on. He had gone through this what felt like a million times, it was too late to act naive now. 

“Buck, honey- are you getting what I’m saying? You know I can’t let you keep my key, but you know I’ll return yours too…”

Bucky flinched at the use of the loving nickname in this kind of unloving situation, and so he took his time to stand straight on quivering legs and steel his face, he told himself he was good at this. He brushed off his pants and limped to his bag near the door, always near a door, as if he needed to be prepared to leave at the shortest notice. Once upon a time Remy would fight him about it, as if he knew, Bucky should have seen this ending coming when Remy’s protests grew silent. 

Bucky’s throat grew tight as he grappled with the mess he called his keys. He guessed if anyone looked at him and saw the hulk of a man he was, the only thing that would give his true feelings away was the mess he carried around everywhere. There nestled between his charms and his own key was Remy’s. His fingers trembled as he fought to open the ring and get it out, but he quickly took care of it...like he always did. Before he could think about what the key meant he quickly turned and placed it into Remy’s waiting palm. He tried to ignore the hurt in Remy’s voice as he spoke. 

“ You know I should have known you would act like this, as if none of this mattered- it’s just I thought...you know I was hoping we’d be together forever. I would have married you if I ever believed you would spend the rest of your life with me...if I ever thought you’d actually love me. You’re going to be fine without me, just like I’ll be fine without you.”

Bucky waited with baited breath for the signal that he could leave. It’s not that he didn’t care, it’s just he had been through this time and time before. If you grew accustomed to the pain you could eventually steel yourself so it didn’t hurt as much.The subtle ache in his heart was familiar if still unwelcome.

“I’ll get together with you later to talk about when you’ll be able to come and get your things and leave mine.”

With that Remy turned around and swiftly walked around the kitchen table, and with a barely whispered goodbye, walked into his room and closed the door. 

See Bucky usually faced problems like this. He had trouble often with showing his emotion, he always failed to let his significant others know he loved them. It seemed like he watched from the sidelines as his significant others inevitably became significant failures. Whenever he really tried to express himself it always seemed fake and forced and never failed to make the receiver suspicious. But nevertheless, he loved them all the same, he was independent and maybe didn’t say I love you enough, but every time his heart was broken he said it less and less, was that really his fault?

With a heavy sigh he picked up his bag and headed out. Things would be awkward for a while seeing as how he lived just one floor up from him. Often they ran into each other in the elevator, Bucky even used to think it was romantic, but now Buck imagined it would make his grieving hearts healing waver. Maybe he would give up on love for a while. He had his bookstore, and his friends, it’s not like he needed anything else at the moment. It was just the cold side of his bed that always fucked him up, because once he got used to warmth he never wanted to be cold again.

As he stepped into his apartment he came to the conclusion he really needed a pet. He had enough time. He owned a bookstore, it’s not like he couldn’t let animals into his own business. In fact it could make things a lot less boring, and in Bucky’s mind that’s exactly what he needed. He tried to imagine a dog in his space. All energy and love and… yeah he would get a cat. Cat’s were generally thought to be assholes, selfish, and conceited, but Bucky knew from a life of picking up strays they were independent, and lord knows he took medicine for ADHD to calm him, cats would bring along a lot less problems than the energy of a dog would. He didn’t particularly like cats, but it beat being alone.

Shelters always made him itch with the pressure of needing to pick something and also made him depressed so he wouldn’t go there, but just last week someone rented the empty lot across the street where the old 70’s diner used to be. It was called “Meowtain Cafe” and Bucky’s Number One customer and best friend Peter wouldn’t shut up about it. 

“Bucky! I don’t even like cats, but this place takes the cake… you can’t lie it’s fucking genius. The owner, he goes and fosters all these cats and keeps them in the cafe! He shows them off and they’re all fucking adoptable isn’t that amazing?”

He had never really paid attention but now was better than never. On the third ring Peter answered.

“Is this Bucky Barnes? THE Bucky Barnes? You know the one that refuses to answer any texts from his best friend, the one who acts like all those lies about phones causing cancer is true, calling ME?”

A sigh.

“ Peter, can you try not being so dramatic for once? I was busy-”

“For three days? Yeah, okay.”

“Yeah well I decided to call you because I was thinking of going to that new place across the street you were talking about to look at cats and-”

“But you hate cats.”

“I don’t hate cats, I could just care less, and I need something in my god forsaken life, and interrupting me? Really?”

“Look I’m sorry, but you have to admit I have the right to be surprised. I’ll be up in 20.”

“Peter I didn’t really mean right now, I have to open the store soon and you know-”

And Bucky was suddenly talking to dead air, Peter had already hung up, so much for the calming effect of his medication.

~

Peter had shown up at his door 30 minutes after hanging up. But it wasn’t as if Bucky was counting. He had gotten used to the man’s habitual tardiness. What he wasn’t used to was the amount of time Peter touched people. Not to say Bucky was anti-social but what he was, was careful. With affection came vulnerability. Though he doubted Peter would leave. He had been around since sophomore year of college and stuck with him through everything. So Bucky doubted he’d betray him now.

“Peter will you get off!”

“I just knew Remy wasn’t the right one!” 

“You knew nothing Peter, how could you have known?”

“Well there was Brock, that weirdo that called himself “X-treme”, god forbid he-who-must-not-be-named…”

Flashes of oiled leather and glinting green eyes, the tingle of mint on his tongue, the ghost of fingers gentle on his arm light as a feather… yet lethal. Bucky tried to swallow the lump in his throat but still found it difficult. He could feel his fist tighten and felt the sting of the metal. It brought him back to Peter.

“You really have a thing for backwards jerks Buck. Maybe this time you could get a bottom who didn’t top in his own toxic way okay?”

Bucky scoffed and pushed into Peter not trying to seem like a dick but regretting bringing anyone up in the first place.The ache in his heart was too painful, the wound too fresh.

“ But listen I have a good feeling about this cat cafe. I’ve seen the owner and everything about him is good, and Buck when I say everything I do mean everything.”

Peter’s voice raised as he jabbed Bucky in his ribs and he fought to keep his eyes from rolling.

“After Remy I’m taking a break.”

“But-”

“No buts-”

“Literally huh?”

“No buts Peter! That’s why I’m getting a cat. No more love for me at the moment.”

“Buck listen this is different…”

Bucky ignored Peter’s protests and closed his eyes as he unlocked the stores door and walked in.

Now this was his home. Life’s Literary Pleasures started out from Bucky’s personal collection. Bucky had collected many books over the years, knowledge was sanctuary, and profitable. It took him longer than he cared to admit to decide on what exactly he would do after college, and it’s even more embarrassing when he thinks about the fact it wasn’t even his idea but Peter’s. During his time at college he often realized kids didn’t have their own books but shared. It was smart too since the books often needed for classes, added up, often cost the same as tuition.

But the thing about Bucky was he was obsessed with books from the time he was able to read. It started with Dr. Seuss and The Berenstain Bears, but quickly escalated into books like Slaughterhouse IV. By the time he was in college his collection took over his custom made quintuple slide out bookcase, in fact it was spilling into the stacks that climbed the walls. It was a mix between needing money and caring too much when he birthed the idea for the place .  
It started simple. Any book for a couple dollars (if you had any) as long as you wanted it, all you needed to do was leave your name and number in case the book had a waiting list (which happened often since kids from the same class often showed up). 

Kids offered to give up their own books for money or pro bono if the didn’t enjoy them themselves. Bucky couldn’t tell you how many times he woke up and tripped over boxes stashed outside his doors, special edition copies with small thank you’s written on every page, carefully hidden where he would find them. Peter eventually got so annoyed he designed a drop off box. He threatened if people didn’t use it he’d shut the entire thing down. Even though he didn’t exactly have that power, Bucky admitted Peter tripping over boxes of books was his little idea of fun.

Standing in his bookstore now, it was difficult to remember exactly where this all started. The store itself wasn't that big, it was probably the size of a regular suburban home. It was a disproportionate chaos Bucky couldn’t get enough of. Most bookshelves were donated, from old classmates, few were made from Bucky and Peter themselves, and others were serendipitous finds he passed in garage sales or dumps. All made of different wood, all looming at different heights; gaps filled in with more books, shelves fixed with superglue. Soft lights hung down from the ceiling bathing everything in a soft off-white light.

Growing up Bucky always wished for a home. Of course he had a house. His Father had died when he was young, fighting overseas in the war. He was the man of the house then. In a poor neighbourhood, with siblings, and a Mother doing the best she could. It left him with too many things to worry about, too much to do, and there was nothing other than school, work, and sleep. All he ever wanted was to relax, maybe be happy. But he never got that chance.

So he brought all of that here, he wanted all of his customers to feel at home. He wanted comfort to seep out of the walls, so much so that they felt smothered. Often growing up he lost the chance to protect the ones who needed it most, and even found his own comfort in the words from his favorite books. So he chose to make the bookstore the home he always wanted. 

“Look Buck you really have to listen here, this guy is different.”

It was safe to say Bucky didn’t want to listen. 

“I know how you are Bucky! When you get like this you’re the worst! You get all mopey and end up sighing and mean-muggin any and every couple you see. I want you to be happy dude, and we both know relationship Bucky is the happiest Bucky.”

Bucky wanted to deny everything Peter was saying, wanted to square his already square shoulders and huff and stomp his feet in frustration. But he couldn’t because he knew Peter was right. With a lover safe and content in his arms, he always felt so at peace he could purr. It was nothing new, that was just the type of man he was. Something about the way he was wired, before he could look after or take care of himself he had to look after and take care of someone else, which was probably why he was so fucked up.

But he had to stop for now, because he had thought Remy was the one, he had actually had been planning on asking him to move in together...to take it to the next level. He guesses he’s glad he never got around to it. If Remy had thought Bucky didn’t love him it seems as if Remy never really knew Bucky at all.

“Please Pete I want a relationship, trust me I do, and you’re right nothing could make me happier, but it’s just… I can’t right now. I need to focus on my business and myself. Who knows maybe love will come find me, we both have seen what happens when I try to find it.” 

It was a wonder how he never listened to himself and went looking again and again against his better judgement, so Bucky sighed and steeled his shoulders.

“However, I do want a cat. It’ll help with some of the loneliness I feel in the store and home- now that…”

Peter already knew, he felt the touch of his always a warm-enough hand on his shoulder blade.

“I get it Buck, no need to spell it out for me buddy, I know everything remember,” as always with Peter a little went a long way, “look why don’t we put some things down, you have an hour until opening now how about we go grab some coffee and maybe swing by there just to look, I know the guy opens earlier than you to start feeding and cleaning and he’s super welcoming.”

“I’ll be okay with coffee and we can… see how I feel about everything else.”

Peter held up his hands in surrender.

“No pressure about the guy or the cats really Buck I promise. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“Fine but as soon as you open your big fat mouth I promise I’ll be walking out and I’ll have a ‘no heathens allowed inside for a day’ sign posted out front faster than you can close it.”

A soft “...rude…” could be heard behind Bucky as he walked out, and Bucky couldn’t help but smile, he would be fine, he was always fine.


	2. Chapter 2: Scorched

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The meeting is here! I wanted it to be perfect and I feel like getting poor Buck where he needs to be is gonna take a while. So read on and brace for a not so perfect encounter, we got a full fledged flawed character ya'll.

Two

“You quit your JOB?!”

Bucky’s mind was reeling, and out of everything that decided to come out of Peters mouth this was not what he expected. Bucky huffed as Peter shrugged his shoulders. 

“Pete, out of all the things… I thought this was perfect for you, you loved this job! You went to work everyday, you got good money! I’ll support you no matter what but are you sure this is what you want?”

Looking at Pete leaned forward in defeat, his head resting in his hands, it looked…wrong. Pete wasn’t the type to admit defeat, he tried and tried and tried. To see him like this…hurt.

“Look, I did love it. You know how much game I had calling myself a bounty hunter?”

Bucky tried to make the mood lighter.

“A recovery agent Pete.”

But it didn’t work. 

“It doesn’t matter what it was. The more I did it the worse the job got. I was so good, so good, they would send me out to every big money fugitive. But I didn’t tell you, last week they sent me out on this job, two sisters, on the run after almost killing their father. Found them in a little town in Delaware. Living low, living frugal. I caught the younger one while she was out for groceries, and she fought so hard, I couldn’t even hold her in my hands for more than 3 seconds-“ Peter paused and Bucky took a sip of his latte while the other formed his sentence. ", she even hissed at me at one point. Buck, she was gorgeous and I was so out of it but I caught her asking if he was dead, she looked so sad man, so sad. I couldn’t even bear to touch her. I left, let her get away. I looked into it- into their case. He- he was,”

Peter’s voice was wavering and Bucky could hear the thickness in his throat, like he was trying not to choke. He wanted to ask why he wasn’t told, why this felt like a secret, but that accusation had no place here in the middle of this much emotion, it would be a devastating blow. When their hands clasped together across the table, Bucky swore he felt Peters hands shaking. Pete flexed his fingers and Bucky sighed as the ghost of what could be considered weakness was pushed away, both Bucky and Peter were good at that.

“They’re about the same age as us right now, but I found police reports, medical documents I did pretty illegal things to get a hold of, I can’t quite prove it just yet, but I’m sure he was doing bad things to them,” another hand squeeze,” really bad things. When they were children they were going to the hospital time after time after reports from teachers were made, nurses, neighbors. Evidence of previous broken bones set seemingly perfect, bruises covering their bodies, split lips, black eyes…”

Bucky couldn’t help but interrupt. 

“And he didn’t get ARRESTED?!” 

“That’s the thing, he was powerful in their hometown, all these cases were dismissed but not even the legal type of dismissed, this was swept under the table. It gets even weirder, there’s one report made by the older one when she was around 11, where she said that he didn’t cause all the injuries, they were fighting each other! Like a fucked up version of dog fighting but with children! They continued to live with him after high school graduation, and there were no other cases after but that would make sense, there’s no regular adult seeing them like what would happen in high school. They didn’t go off to college, didn’t move out. Then years later, something happens, the straw to break the camels back, there’s no report of what it could be, but 2 months ago a man runs by the house to check up on them because the father hadn’t gone to work for a couple of days, and no one answered the door when he knocked. But his car was in the driveway so he called the cops. Cops come and try, no answer, they finally knock down the door and the man is in his recliner sitting in a pool of blood. Barely conscious. Multiple lacerations to his body, and barely kicking.”

Bucky was never a part of Peters world, they were best friends and Bucky was barely aware of Peter’s comings and goings in college, he was loud and friendly and great, but never too forthcoming about much. When he learned in college he was in the criminal justice program it really took him by surprise and after they finally graduated Bucky was there for him when he started from the ground up. They were great together and this side is something he had seen often but only after drinking. The man had been around through thick and thin with Bucky too, so Bucky squeezed his hand once again, let go and got some more sugar for their coffees. After taking his seat once more he put the small empty packets in a pile, fidgeting with his hands searching for the right thing to say,

“So what are we gonna do?”

“We aren’t doing shit Buck. This is only going to get deeper and deeper and I refuse to get you into this. My aim is to take the fucker down, get them cleared in self-defense, no matter the cirumstance, no matter the reason no mater how fucked this is a form of justice and they deserve at least SOME peace. This shit is heavy and you got big arms, literally and figuratively, try to carry everything and I know if you get wrapped in you’ll get consumed, and I can’t have that, you’ve had enough.”

Bucky leaned across the table and lowered his voice,

“Again, what are we gonna do?”

“Fuck don’t get all serious on me. Listen what I need from you is a part time job, helping you around the store, doing renovations whatever you need I’ll do, I’m gonna be looking into the cases more and I know I have to talk to the sisters, but since I’ve already caught them, I’m sure they’ve left so I also have to find them again. I need time to do that since I wont have easy access to the resources I used to have but I also have to pay my bills, with whatever you give me plus all the money I have in savings it should be easy. I don’t know really how long this could take or how crazy it could get but I won’t stop until this is done and they know they’re gonna be safe.”

“I’ll do whatever you need Pete, you know that, and in fact I have some ideas already. I’ll look into whatever needs to be done and create a list.” 

“Thanks man. I’ll let you know what goes down, you and that great brain of yours can still be some help behind the scenes, I just don’t want anything bad to happen if things go south. But what I really want to do now?”

Bucky decided not to sound too excited.

“Yeah?”

“I think it’s time to go look at Kittys and get you a lifetime partner that doesn’t treat you like shit along the way.”

Bucky didn’t know what he was expecting when he asked that question, an invitation to be a vigilante? An interview for a bounty hunter gone rogue sidekick position? But getting a cat would have to do.  
-

“Seeing this place now it really looks cute.”

Peter and Bucky stood outside the café which was conveniently located right across the street from his bookstore. Even though it now occupied the used to be 50s themed diner you wouldn’t be able to tell if you didn’t know. The outside was painted a very calming baby blue and stood out among the strip filled with brick buildings. The owner had obviously renovated it once the previous place left it to him. 

There were huge clear windows so you could see inside. There seemed to be multiple cat trees and other knickknacks inside, which had a multitude of different fluffy friends lazing and bathing in the sun. There was only one person and he was sipping a latte himself stretched out on a couch petting a cat that looked just like him. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and not blonde, but he was still gorgeous. He barely registered a young girl open the door to peek inside, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

From the open door a small ball of sand colored fluff raced between the young girls ankles, a loud shout sounded from inside the building and Bucky stood astounded as a man that might have maybe reached his shoulder pushed him aside. A bit of his strikingly blonde hair tickled Bucky’s chin as he went past and he swore his hands were scorching hot as they touched his chest to push past him, otherwise why would he feel like those spots burned? He took in the way his cheeks were flushed and how PISSED he looked. Bucky turned his head and saw the small ball of fluff had raced around both himself and Peter, and somehow managed to land in the middle of the street in front of them. Bucky saw a car coming towards the blonde and the cat, saw the blondes hands reaching out almost getting the kitten by the scruff, heard Peters intake of breathe, and felt himself start to move towards them both. The blonde finally caught the squirming kitten in his hands and drew it close to his chest, and Bucky took one more look as the car started to get closer, heard the squeal of the brakes as the driver slammed on them. He ran forward and grabbed the smaller man by his sleeves and collar, wrenched them out of the street, and felt the blondes skull crack into his teeth as they both fell into the concrete. 

He slowly opened his eyes and lifted his hands to clench his aching jaw, and looked down into cerulean blue eyes. The man weighed close to nothing in his lap and Bucky wanted to lean forward, put his lips in his hair, feel- but he was moving back grabbing Peter’s hand and getting up with the kitten squirming and meowing in his arms. Bucky rolled his eyes as his friend winked at him after helping him to his feet. Bucky dusted the gravel out of the deep cuts in his hands and stared in shock as the blonde pushed him aside again to get to the girl standing nervously by the still open door. 

Flushed like he was in the sunlight, the rays making his hair almost golden, Bucky swore he never saw anything more beautiful.This must have been exactly who Peter was talking about.

He was definitely in trouble.

-

It turns out that the man wasn’t charging towards the girl to yell at her but apologize, and as he told her she shouldn’t feel too bad, Bucky couldn’t help but sigh at the almost weirdly deep voice that came out of his small body. He couldn’t help but feel like it made sense no matter if it surprised him at first. 

Once all was said and done the owner finally turned to Bucky and Peter and looked almost embarrassed. Which Buck had to admit looked pretty damn good on him, he wanted to make him get even more pink than this. See how deep the flush in his cheeks could get. He held the squirming cat in his arms and Bucky held back the laugh struggling to come out of his mouth. He looked like a frustrated mom trying not to yell at their kid. Bucky couldn’t help the smirk that made its way to his mouth and fought not to smile harder as he realized the man in front of him didn’t find anything amusing at all and seemed to squint his eyes at Bucky’s mouth. 

Which didn’t help the whole not finding him cute thing.

The man looked up at him from under his outrageously long blonde lashes. 

“I super duper apologize for all that, usually the store is NOT that active. Usually the kittens are secured in the sunroom but for some reason against everybody’s better judgement we let this one hang in the lobby today-“

“I told you it would be enticing for customers, Steve!”

Bucky looked behind the small man before him, Steve, and saw the one he was admiring earlier lazily making his way to them. He was a little shorter than Bucky and Peter but held himself like he was taller than everyone. In his own way he was very attractive and Bucky couldn’t help but admire him until he sauntered up behind the blonde and put his arm around him and instinctually became prepared to push them apart if the man seemed uncomfortable but to his surprise he leaned into the others touch. Bucky knew he wasn’t here to get a boyfriend and until he actually saw the cafe owner he was extremely against it, but it was almost like the man in front of him was the stray kitten and he was itching to be the owner. He started when Peter cleared his throat and alarmingly realized he had forgotten his friend was even there. 

“Sam when you say enticing for the customers I was thinking of a nice pretty sign in the windows you know? Like maybe not picking the most mischievous kitten and letting him roam free in the lobby.”

The taller man shrugged nonchalantly towards both Peter and Bucky. 

“Well it sure got them to stop didn’t it?”

Even though they had been planning on coming here to begin with he wasn’t about to put Sam under the bus. Finally looking at them both Steves head leaned back and Bucky allowed himself to calm down. Steves eyes widened and his hand went out and hit Peters arm, to which his friend was dramatic like always and stumbled back a couple steps. 

“Of course I had bad luck if you’re here, how come i’m still surprised?”

Pete scoffs and leans into Bucky’s shoulder cockily, slightly pushing him forward. 

“Sunshine that is NO way to treat a return guest who’s brought you more customers.”

And then those blue eyes are settled on him and he cant breathe. He knows he’s bigger and he knows he’s stronger, he knows all of this yet he can’t help but feel scrutinized and almost- small. He feels something coming on, anxiety due to the striking man and he realizes this is too early. He was broken up with this morning! He should be sobbing in some pillow holed up in his room requesting ice cream be brought to him by Peter but he was never too good at sitting in his feelings. In fact he never did. So he lashes out. He feels his muscles tighten and he stands at full attention.

“It wasn’t wise to go out in oncoming traffic.”

Sam takes a step back from Steve but Bucky notices his arm still stays latched around Steves shoulder, no longer calm and lax but clenched, as if bracing for Steves reaction. Those blue eyes become thin and he sucks in an audible breath at the fire he sees blazing at the surface.

“What isn’t wise is telling me what isn’t wise. Would you rather I let this little one be run over instead?”

Buck barely stops himself from pointing out who the little one in the conversation really is and finds himself relieved Steve is returning with wit instead of becoming small under his criticism. 

“What I would’ve wanted was for this situation to be non-existent. Now I have a headache, all three of us could’ve died and all I wanted was to come look at cats to relax and you know the thing I’m not feeling? Relaxed.”

Bucky stumbles back a few steps as those blue eyes get dangerously close, he holds back his hands that seem to itch when he feels the ghost of the breath leaving that mouth against his chest. He looks down and can’t help but think even pissed this guy is too endearing to really be intimidating.

“Well soldier you can take the thank you I was gonna give you and shove it up your ass.”

Buck felt Peters hand on his chest pushing him back and felt a growl slip partially up his throat.

“Listen here Punk-“

“WHO SAYS PUNK! Nobody says PUNK anymore, get a clue Mr. Scrooge. Do me a favor and take your good deeds somewhere else, because I definitely don’t want them if this is what it brings after.”

“Okay, okay, everybody calm down,” This was Peter, “I’ve been this guys friend for a very long time which means I’m a good interpreter for what he really means to say which is, I’ve gotten my heart broke, I need something to help which would be a cat, that was stressful, can I pleeeease just get a cat.”

Bucky huffed and almost strangled Peter with his own hands, that MAY have been what he was feeling but there was absolutely no need for someone he barely met (no matter how beautiful) to know. 

“Well, even if you do a good job of covering for your friend Peter Quill, I could care less about his broken heart and focus more on how he treats people even with one. First impressions matter and treating someone like that even in moments of hurt don’t justify anything.”

Bucky’s breath becomes shallow as those eyes pierce through him again, he tries to breathe around those words, but they’re so big and they feel like tar in his throat. He wasn’t trying to be mean, wasn’t trying to start this. Not really.  
“Look,” Bucky tried to ignore the pointed look the short blonde shot his way, “that wasn’t the best way to meet you, but I one thing I’m good at is apologizing. Excuses aren’t the best, but I have had a really bad start to my day, and a stressful situation like that didn’t make anything better so I lashed out, I’m sorry for that you didn’t deserve it.”

It took a longer time than Bucky wanted to think about before Steve’s face changed. The smirk aimed his way felt like a gentle depress of the weight on his chest, and he felt like he could breathe again.

“Well, one thing my momma said was ‘you’ll regret denying an apology when you’re the one begging for forgiveness. So I’ll accept it and you can come into meet the cats, but if you think you’re taking one home you’ve gotta pass the inspection first.”

Bucky thought that was something he could do, so he thanked the heavens as he followed everyone into the squat blue building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got some inkling of some plot here you guys. Up next we have some kitties and the meeting of some soulmates. I should have it posted in the next week so tell me what you think, kudos and comments def keep me motivated :) have a good week!


End file.
